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Tyrese Haliburton credits Pacers coach for 21-foot pull-up jumper after win: ‘We got the stop and Carlisle trusts us’
Haliburton credited the Pacers' coach, who chose to keep his one timeout left in his pocket, which allowed him to take the jumper and stage a comeback.
Tyrese Haliburton produced a sensational move in the final seconds against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals to help the Indiana Pacers stage a stunning comeback win. Haliburton hit a 21-foot pull-up jumper in the dying second of the match as the Pacers claimed a 111-110 win.
Haliburton, with 14 points and 10 rebounds to his name, stunned the opposition by sinking a dramatic 21-foot jumper—giving the Pacers their first and only lead after trailing by 15 points with 9:42 remaining in the game.
Haliburton credited Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, who chose to keep his one timeout left in his pocket, which allowed him to take the jumper and stage a sensational comeback.
"We got the stop and coach [Carlisle] trusts us in those moments to not call timeouts," Haliburton said of the game-winning shot in his postgame interview on the ESPN broadcast.
The 25-year-old said that the coach and the teammates show trust in him, which made his job a bit easier and let him enjoy his game.
"He trusts me in those moments, the guys trust me and I was just trying to make a play. So, man, basketball is fun. Winning is fun. That's a great win for us," he added.
Meanwhile, the thrilling finish echoed Haliburton’s heroics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, where his buzzer-beater forced overtime against New York — one of four game-deciding moments he’s delivered in this postseason.
The Pacers are chasing their first-ever NBA championship in their 58-year history, while the Thunder, who last won the title in 1979 as the Seattle SuperSonics, are still hunting for their first since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008.
Who is Tyrese Haliburton?
Haliburton began his basketball journey at Oshkosh North High School, leading his team to a state championship in his senior year. In 2022, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers, a move that proved pivotal for both his career and the franchise. With the Pacers, the 25-year-old has earned multiple All-Star selections and led the team to their first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years.
